Theological Commitments for Christians for Socialism

an excerpt from Kathleen Schultz’ “CFS/USA: History and Perspectives of our Movement” from Radical Religion 1978 Vol IV.

CFS seek to make their concrete commitments in struggles for a new society the center of the reflection, practice, communication and celebration of their faith in Christ.

CFS begin to re-read the bible from within a class-based commitment. They hear God’s word in its subversive power challenging the exploitative and dominating structures of the global capitalist order, the middle-class captivity of churches, and the ideologies of submission present in Christian doctrinal and ethical teachings.

CFS resituate the celebration of Christian symbols in relation to the demands of justice by linking them to the concrete and daily struggles of survival, resistance and liberation found in their political engagements. The historical horizon toward which their efforts point––the socialist society––becomes a horizon opening up new dimensions and power of the symbols more historical.

CFS articulates a biblically-based ethic for the churches and for Christian communities of faith. This revolutionary ethic challenges the wealth and power of the churches, the interclass ideology that denies the demands of the poor, and a supposed religious and intellectual neutrality in areas of social political expression